Do you want to interview a star?

"Do you turn first to the gossip pages? Is your dream job to write about celebs?

Do you fancy interviewing stars in an LA hotel? Learn from the experts what it's really like to be a showbiz journo. And what are the pros and cons of specialising in this area?"

Evidently, budding journalists may learn what it's like to work in one of tabloid journalism's most competitive arenas.

Other speakers lined up to take part are Nicole Lampert of the Daily Mail, Jane Ennis, editor of Reveal, and Johnathon Hughes, editor of All About Soap

It will take place on 5 October at the Hearst magazines office in London's Soho. Tickets are £10 for WiJ members and £15 for guests. For more details, contact wijuk@aol.com

Where next for media regulation?

City University journalism department is hosting another of its 'speed-debating' events on 1 November: Media regulation - new ideas.

It is a joint enterprise with the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University (RISJ) and is timed to coincide with the launch of a report commissioned by RISJ and City that advances new ideas on press regulation and how these ideas might eventually develop into a longer-term regulatory framework for convergent media.

The main points from the paper, 'Regulating for trust in journalism: Standards regulation in the age of blended media', will be presented by its author, Lara Fielden.

Then the event will focus on the issue of press regulation and begin by interviewing Peta Buscombe, out-going chair of the Press Complaints Commission about her ideas for reform.

Then there will then be a panel discussion with Peter Preston, Lord (Guy) Black, Kelvin MacKenzie and myself.

In a separate section, there will be a look at models of press regulation outside the UK with the chairman of the Australian press council, Julian Disney, and the Irish press ombudsman, John Horgan.

Among others expected to speak will be Eve Salomon of the Internet Watch Foundation, Michael Grade (a current PCC commissioner), Stephen Whittle, John Lloyd, and the irrepressible David Elstein,

It will kick off at 2pm, and end at 5pm, in the Performance Space at City University London. Numbers will be limited. More information will be on this blog when available.